


The Dreams That Keep You Up At Night

by Electrictor



Category: markiplier - Fandom, youtube - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood, Crying, Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I swear, Insomnia, Loss of sleep, M/M, Nightmares, Probably ooc, dun judge too hard, first fic of these two ;;, not in that order
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 12:36:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14213307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Electrictor/pseuds/Electrictor
Summary: Ethan is haunted with the same dream, every time he closed his eyes, every time he tried to lay down to sleep. So he decided to do what he tried to avoid ever since his late nights spent studying for classes, bear staying awake dead tired until he crashed.Excerpt:Ethan sat in his desktop chair in his office, staring blankly at the screen in front of him, his gaze was aimed on the computer sitting in front of him but he couldn’t make out any of the words on the device. His eyelids felt heavy and drooped low, deep bags hung on his face. He felt so utterly tired, it was like torture just being awake.





	The Dreams That Keep You Up At Night

**Author's Note:**

> Forst fanfic in this fandom... Woop...?
> 
> Something tells me I’m going to love writing these, even if I’m a little rusty from lack of writing for long amounts of time, oops

Ethan sat in his desktop chair in his office, staring blankly at the screen in front of him, his gaze was aimed on the computer sitting in front of him but he couldn’t make out any of the words on the device. His eyelids felt heavy and drooped low, deep bags hung on his face. He felt so utterly tired, it was like torture just being awake.

He took a large sip of the coffee sitting next to him, or rather he would have if he hadn’t emptied it without realizing a while ago. He should really go get more, it was only a few rooms away... But, he couldn’t find it in himself to get up and get more, moving seemed like it would be too much, anyways.

He wanted to sleep, his whole body screamed, begged, and pleaded for it, but he kept fighting the drowsiness. He knew what would happen if he allowed himself sleep, and he wasn’t prepared to face it again.

The nightmares he kept having that played on repeat in his mind. He’d usually just shake off nightmares, they didn’t mean anything, it was just his mind training for those situations.

This one he couldn’t ignore, (or rather he was forcing his body to stay awake to try to ignore it,) even when he was awake every time he closed his eyes he could still picture it in his mind.

——

He desperately clutched Mark’s crumpled body, that fell slack in his arms. Mark’s face was blank, his eyes open, hazed over and focused on nothing. His mouth hung open, as if in a silent cry of pain. The color red would stain Ethan’s hands, oozing from his boyfriend, there would be so, so much red as it soaked through Mark’s shirt from the open wound that had killed him, _because Ethan was too late._

He would feel himself drowning in the slick dark substance, pooling around his sunken, shaking body as tears slid down his cheeks. He couldn’t save him, he couldn’t save him and this was his punishment. Drowning in his lover’s blood.

He’d feel sadness chocked up in his throat, lodged there as his tears spilled, slowly plopping down to cover Mark’s no longer white shirt, mixing with the deep red that dyed it. The tears and blood pooled around the two lovers, Ethan sobbed and buried his face in Mark’s neck. _He can’t be gone, he can’t be, Please_

Voices bounced off invisible walls.

_Your fault._

_It’s all your fault._

_You killed him._

_If you weren’t such a waste you could have stopped this_.

_Why would Mark love someone who let him die?_

_You did this to him, Ethan_.

——

Ethan cut off his train of though as he felt himself shaking. The image of Mark’s lifeless body clutched in his blood coated hands will always haunt him. Even if it wasn’t real, it could always happen.

Something could always happen to Mark, he could get there too late, he could end up being there at the last minute to watch his love die. 

The thought of it was terrifying.

He hugged himself to try to calm the waves of hopelessness and _fear_ flooding over him. His whole body felt cold as he shook, he needed to calm down but the thought was sitting there in his mind, messing with all sensible reason in his mind at the moment. 

Mark could die- He’d be too late- Something would happen- He’d be left cradling the real Mark a bloody mess in his arms- 

Ethan felt a hand against his shoulder and he instinctively flinched away from it. His tear full eyes gazed at the offending arm, his eyes traveled up it to see Mark, his face twisted in valid concern. 

Ethan heard and saw mark say something but the words were muffled to his mind, he saw Mark lower his body to be at eye level with Ethan, as he was still a shaking mess in his desk chair. 

“I-I’m sorry,” the words spilled from Ethans’ lips before he had a chance to think. 

He felt his boyfriend’s warm arms curl around him, at an obvious awkward angle, but it didn’t matter. Ethan leaned into the warm touch and felt the tears in his eyes fall free, he tried to hug Mark back, but it just seemed to be a weak and pitiful attempt.

“I’m so s-sorry.” He was sorry for failing Mark, he was sorry for being like this right now and leaving Mark to pick up the pieces. He shouldn’t have to do that. 

One of Mark’s hands started to slowly rub Ethans back and he told him it was okay, he didn’t have to apologize. Mark was too nice to him.

After some time of this, Ethan stopped shaking and apologizing and allowed Mark to walk him over to the couch, out of his office. Mark sat on the edge and allowed Ethan to sit down next to him and rest his head against his shoulder. Mark’s left arm looped around Ethan and he held him close.

It felt like a reassurance that he was there to Ethan. 

Mark’s voice was a low rumble, laced with concern, “Are you better now, Ethan?”

Ethan found the energy in him, from some unknown place to respond, “Yea...” 

“What happened?” Ethan froze at the question. It was stupid of him to get worked up like _that_ over a silly dream... He stopped himself from speaking before he could make himself seem more weak to Mark.

When Ethan didn’t respond, Mark looked Ethan in the eye, all Ethan could see was worry, sympathy and love in his eyes. 

All Mark could see was the bags lining his boyfriends eyes, soaked from the tears that had trailed down his face. 

“When was the last time you slept...?”

Ethan hesitated before he slowlu shrugged his shoulders. 

Mark didn’t like that answer, his brows knitted together, his eyes not leaving Ethan’s. 

Mark gently rubbed his boyfriend’s shoulder, and whispered to him, “Wait here for a second.”

Mark got up slowly, making sure Ethan wouldn’t just plop over onto the couch from a sudden lack of support to hold him up, when Ethan shifted he could here a soft protest come from his mouth but that’s all. 

Mark left the room, coming back moments later with a blanket and pillow, he laid the pillow down on the cushion, and gently moved Ethan to be lying against it. He covered him with the blanket.

He looked so cozy, Ethan’s eyes were practically fully shut by now but Mark watched as Ethan kept tearing his eyes open, only for them to shut again seconds later.

Mark decided to do what he thought would help most in this situation, he laid beside Ethan on the couch, it was a tight fit but it worked out for him none the less. He gently wrapped his arm around his boyfriend’s waist and pulled them closer to each other. 

Mark rested his head over Ethan’s ear and gently whispered, “It’s okay, go to sleep. I’m here.”

Ethan finally gave in to sleep as he felt a kiss pressed delicately against his forehead.


End file.
